Netanyahu Says Judicial Overhaul Will Go Ahead Without "Override Clause"

The Wall Street Journal this mooning published an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that he "threw out" the so-called override clause, one of the most controversial elements of his judicial overhaul plan. The clause would allow the Knesset to override the rulings of the High Court with a simple majority.

• Netanyahu told the newspaper that he will advance other reforms of the judicial system while being "attentive to the public pulse, and to what I think will pass muster." He added that he still intends to change the way judges are selected, but is looking to amend the planned legislation.
• A Channel 12 report on Wednesday suggested that the Prime Minister was mulling replacing the Judicial Selection Committee (JSC), which is tasked with appointing judges, with a panel with five coalition and five opposition politicians, where a simple majority would suffice for High Court appointments.
• The Prime Minister is treading a tightrope between the demands of the opposition and anti-judicial overhaul protesters on the one hand and his far-right allies on the other. Furthermore, tensions surrounding judicial reforms exacerbate security concerns, with reservists threatening not to report for duty.